Southern Morocco Naturetrek Tour Report

18 - 27 February 2011

House Bunting

Erg Chebbi sand dunes

Tristram's Warbler

White-crowned Black Wheatears

Report compiled by Rob Murray and Peter Dunn Notable Plants list by Jennie Grange Images by Peter Dunn

Naturetrek Cheriton Mill

Cheriton

Alresford

Hampshire

SO24 0NG

T: +44 (0)1962 733051

F: +44 (0)1962 736426

E: [email protected]

W: www.naturetrek.co.uk

England

Tour Report

Southern Morocco

Tour Leader: Co-Leader:

Rob Murray Peter Dunn

Drivers:

Halim and Alal

Participants:

Dave Rickwood Juline Rickwood Tony Grange Jennie Grange Bob Wright Avril Wright Ron Cooke Jo Rooney Julia Maynard Martin Allison Tracy Allison Chris Sweeten Elke Sweeten Lucy Goodman Richard Scriven Penny Scriven

Tour Summary This tour took us through tremendously stimulating scenery packed with intriguing geomorphological and geological features. From high mountain passes with snow draped summits to stony, hamada deserts, sandy deserts, marshes, estuaries and rivers. We took advantage of many opportunities to immerse ourselves in the culture of the country. We visited souks, markets, small villages bustling with local commercial activities involving donkeys, carts, camels and we even saw a mud brick making plant and a city bakery in action. The very special desert birds thrilled us; Houbara Bustard, Desert Sparrow, Brown-necked Raven, sandgrouse, Creamcoloured Courser. Thick-billed Lark, Desert Lark and the inimitable Hoopoe Lark were all thoroughly enjoyed. We also studied scorpions, beetles, digger wasps, dragonflies, butterflies, reptiles, amphibians and endearing mammals such as Gundis, Barbary Ground Squirrels and Fat Sand Rats. The weather was idyllic. We enjoyed sunshine every day with no rain at all and calm conditions. This was ideal for watching the varied and exotic wildlife of the region.

Day 1

Friday 18th February

Sunny and warm in Marrakech The group arrived in Marrakesh at 11.30 and we met Muhammed our city guide. We walked to the vibrant and bustling square of Jemaa el Fna and the enveloping souks.

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June 11

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Southern Morocco

Tour Report

We were immersed in a labyrinth of scented and brightly coloured alleyways with stalls flaunting spices, clothes, leather goods and ceramics. We emerged like troglodytes clutching the hard-bargained-for purchases. A visit to the town bakery was fascinating. The Berber pharmacy assailed our nostrils with wonderful aromas .We were lead to an original, unrestored, caravanserai courtyard with imposing ornate, wooden doorways. Being immersed so deeply into Moroccan culture had pushed any thoughts of birds to the recesses of the mind. Scant attention was paid to the myriad of Pallid Swifts screaming overhead. Little Swifts were seen zooming in and out of the impressive mosque tower of La Koutoubia. Common Bulbuls and House Buntings were in the gardens all around us.

Day 2

Saturday 19th February

Sunny, warm (26ºC) and calm The crisp, clear, early morning air bestowed a wonderfully stark and sharp view to the snow-mantled Atlas Mountains. Our first stop was in the foothills just before Touama in coniferous woodland. Here we enjoyed the company of North African Chaffinches, Crossbills and Cirl Bunting. Moroccan Orange-tip butterflies graced the woodland. Our arrival at the cafe was timed perfectly to coincide with the spectacular morning display flight of a male Goshawk. Climbing higher we paused to admire the view from Ait Berrka across the rugged peaks. Clouds of 7-spot ladybirds swarmed over us but the irritation was soon forgotten when a superb Bonelli’s Eagle sailed overhead. The temperature fell to 16 degrees as we wandered around the floor of the Tizi-N-Tichka Pass. Over 120 Red-billed Choughs danced acrobatically in the up draughts By 16.45 we had descended to the Barrage El Mansour Eddahbi close to the ever-expanding city of Ouarzarzate. Here we encountered many familiar species; Grey Herons, grebes, Mallards and Marsh Harriers presented no identification challenges. Black Wheatears and White-crowned Black Wheatears were common here. It was just dusk when we arrived at our hotel in El Kelaa after travelling 275 km.

Day 3

Sunday 20th February

Sunny and warm (25 ºC). No wind. Some high wispy cloud Sunrise was at 7am. Some of us added Moussier’s Redstart, Hoopoe and Sardinian Warbler to the list. A vast, stony desert unfurled before us like a Berber carpet with intricate patterns of shrubs and shattered rocks. This is the Tagdilt Plain famed for exquisite birds such as Red-rumped Wheatear, Temminck’s Lark, Trumpeter Finch and Long-legged Buzzard. Hoopoe larks sang mournfully, climbed to 30m, then plummeted head first to the ground in a bizarre display. Scorpions lurked beneath the stones and one was captured for closer appreciation. Fat Sand Rats peered from the sanctity of their refuges and Sundevall’s Jirds skipped across the stones. Crowned Sandgrouse, Short-toed Eagle and Bar-tailed Desert Larks augmented our pleasure. In the afternoon we marvelled at the sculpturing effects of sub-aerial erosion on the granite at the mouth of the Dades Gorge. Fists of fingers protruded skywards. Our buses dropped us off at the top and we ambled down the meandering road, round hairpin bends with spectacular views. Looking down upon Crag Martins is an unusual experience. Three Tristram’s Warblers surrendered to our patient scrutiny and four Bonelli’s Eagles soared majestically along the fretted ridge. Gundis squatted on rock ledges peering dolefully at us, while Barbary Ground Squirrels were much more alert and acrobatic. One Gundi sprang to life when pursued by a determined Weasel. It was a delight to see pure, genetically uncontaminated Rock Doves.

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Southern Morocco

Day 4

Tour Report

Monday 21st February

Sunny (25ºC). No wind. Some diffuse high cloud The rising sun cast a warming, pink glow to the snow-capped mountains as we departed for further exploration of the Hamada desert. We encountered hundreds of Black-bellied Sandgrouse. At an oasis we saw a small, mudbrick manufacturing plant which seemed primitive but was very effective, and we watched fresh bricks being added to a nearby dwelling under construction. Our attention was abruptly diverted to a huge raptor soaring above. It was an immature Golden Eagle. A very good record indeed! We devoured another tasty and appetizing lunch prepared by Halim and Alal at the dramatic Todra Gorge where Blue Rock Thrushes, Crag Martins and Black Redstarts kept us alert. We journeyed on towards Erfoud and across the Marrha Plain. I knew that there remained only one last chance to find Thick-billed Lark. We made our final stop of the day at what appeared to be suitable habitat. We scanned and scanned. Hope was fading when suddenly there they were! Six immaculate Thick-billed Larks were strutting across a cultivated patch of desert.

Day 5

Tuesday 22nd February

Beautiful clear blue sky with sunshine all day. No wind. 26ºC Our team of five 4x4 jeeps was assembled and set to depart at 5am. We followed the Morning Star towards the sunrise and closed in on the treasures of the desert. Two Cream-coloured Coursers caught in the headlights were enjoyed by all. By 6.30am the landscape was washed in the hues of a water colour artist’s palette; coeruleum sky, raw sienna and cadmium yellow sand; burnt umber and Payne’s grey rocks. In this fresh morning light we were thrilled by the proximity of two obliging Houbara Bustards. An oasis with water was a rare sight this year as the winter has been dry. However, our drivers found one and we saw flock after flock of Crowned Sandgrouse circling around and dropping in to drink. A long, low rocky outcrop caught our attention. As we scrambled over it we discovered perfectly preserved fossils of an elongated ammonite-like mollusc that seemed to have been straightened out. They are known as Orthocerus and they swam around this area in warm seas of the Devonian era some 450 million years ago. The appearance of Brown-necked Ravens indicated our proximity to the settlements of Merzouga and the Café Yasmina. However, there was one more stop to make before coffee. It was at an Acacia tree that held three Desert Sparrow’s nests. The occupants emerged and gave us good views. The tranquility of the desert was rudely interrupted by the sudden appearance of a long line of French rally drivers. They certainly kicked up some dust but amused us with their foolhardiness as several veered off the track to become marooned in the sand with wheels spinning and no forward or backward progress being possible. The local tractor owner enjoyed all his birthdays at once! A little further on we experienced the classic desert mirage of huge lakes either side of us, only to see them disappear as we arrived at where we thought they existed! There was a Tristram’s Warbler in the tamarisk scrub at the cafe, but the most intriguing find was botanical. Yellow-flowered Broom-rape had burst through the sand to thrust upwards in a colourful spike that attracted many bees. It was parasitizing the roots of Tamarisk trees. Lunch was at the berber carpet house in the village. Most people were fascinated at the range of carpets and listened attentively to the descriptions of how they are made. Many other items were for sale and certainly worth browsing at. We spent much longer here than expected, but as the desert lake was non-existent this year, we had the time to spare. © Naturetrek

June 11

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Southern Morocco

Tour Report

It was 4.30pm when we returned to our hotel in Erfoud. This left enough time for the energetic ones to walk over to the River Ziz for more birding. We were rewarded with great views of Black-winged Stilts, Moussier’s Redstart and Moroccan Wagtail.

Day 6

Wednesday 23rd February

Sunny and warm all day (up to 29ºC). Cloudless, blue sky We left Erfoud at 8am and began our long journey westwards following the south side of the Anti-Atlas through spectacular and varied desert landscapes. This is some of the most stunning scenery in Morocco. We made a brief stop at the Oued Ziz which used to be a beautiful spot, but now it has been bulldozed and a major road flyover is being built. However, we did see Moroccan Wagtails, Ruddy Shelduck and White Storks. It was with rising excitement and anticipation that we drove off the road along the foot of an escarpment to search for the Pharaoh’s Eagle Owl. As we walked the final stretch to the site we stumbled upon belemnites and even ammonites underfoot. Despite being under the protective eye of a self-appointed warden, some local village boys had thrown stones at the owls and they had deserted. At an alternative sight we encountered two Peregrines. We stopped for coffee in Ainif, a bustling local market town and then ate our lunch in an acacia-lined oued east of Tazzarine where we found a few Fulvous Babblers, Tristram’s Warblers and Desert Larks. On our way to the Draa Valley we watched several dust devils spiralling and twisting as they wisped up dust and debris seemingly to the troposphere! At the bridge we stumbled upon our first definite Long-billed Crested Lark or Maghreb Lark as it is soon to be called. We continued the ascent of the Tinifift Pass rising to 1660m. At a view point we enjoyed a spectacular vista in the company of a Blue Rock Thrush and Black Wheatear. The descent to the Barrage El Mansour Eddahbi crossed beautiful countryside and we arrived with enough time to savour a variety of species on the water. Two Ospreys, two Temminck’s Stints and Marbled Duck were the highlights.

Day 7

Thursday 24th February

Sunny all day long. (25ºC) The barrage was our first port of call as it is just a couple of minutes drive from the hotel. We added Squacco Heron and were amazed by the number of Trumpeter Finches flying around. It was worth a brief stop at the film studios where Cleopatra was made, from both a cultural and ornithological point of view. A Blue Rock Thrush perched on the head of an Egyptian deity was an amusing sight. Between here and Taznakt we made impromptu stops to stretch out and to enjoy a few birds such as Desert Wheatear and Moussier’s Redstart. Near to Oued Irri a wonderful Bonelli’s Eagle flew at low level across our path. From now on the terrain became increasingly barren and birdless until we arrived at the Saffron Tea House where a complimentary cup of the local brew revived us. Exploring the plantation was most interesting. We were shown saffron growing and saw the elongated corms from which the saffron is extracted. A singing male Firecrest was a big surprise. Now we entered the zone of the endemic Argan forest. This spinaceous tree bears fruits used for oil manufacture. To see goats ascending the thorny, dense canopy with such ease was remarkable. The run in to Taroudant took us through 80km of flat agricultural land with tall trees, orchards and some industrial development.

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Southern Morocco

Tour Report

This is prime habitat for Black-winged Kite. Thanks to the sharp eyes of Halim in the leading bus we had superb views of one hovering and gliding over an open, bushy habitat. There were Corn Buntings here too. We arrived at the fascinating hotel in Taroudant just as dusk fell, after a trip of 305km.

Day 8

Friday 25th February

Early morning fog cleared to give a cloudy day but sunny later on. (24ºC). The call to prayer and competing cockerels gave an atmospheric alarm wake-up at 5.30 am. We drove through fog for about an hour, but still saw Maghreb Magpies, Little Owl and Spotless Starlings .From Agadir we headed north up the coast road past Cap Rhir to Tamri. The sun was shining when we ambled towards the lagoon. Resplendent Audouin’s Gulls loafed about on the spit and an Arctic Skua was resting offshore. A Moroccan Cormorant attracted attention, but the highlight was the discovery of 24 Northern Bald Ibises feeding on the bank opposite. Many Broom-rape plants were scattered throughout the dunes. They attracted several magnificent Striped Hawk-moths which were like giant Hummingbird Hawk-moths seeking nectar from the yellow flowers. A couple of Praying Mantids were stationed beneath the flower clusters and made grabs for the moths. It was fascinating to witness. Beyond Tamri we found more Bald Ibises and Barbary Partridge. After lunch we checked into the hotel and had a siesta before making our evening trip to the Oued Souss. Here we secured the best views of the trip of Maghreb Magpie. The blue triangle behind the eye showed perfectly. An Osprey perched on a low dead tree on the mud flat to feast on a fish it had captured. A Grey Heron stalked closer and closer but with great hesitation and reluctance to attempt the final act of theft. It just peered longingly up at the disinterested raptor. As dusk enveloped the estuary Stone-curlews began calling eerily and soon Rednecked Nightjars cranked up their mechanical, stuttering churr sounding like a car engine that won’t turn over when you switch the ignition on. We were lucky to see two of them darting between the trees and along the gravelly track.

Day 9

Saturday 26th February

Sunny and hot and bright all day. (26ºC). No wind. After breakfast we set off from Agadir and made our way south towards Oued Massa. This picturesque river valley and estuary supports a wealth of wildlife and plants. We stopped by a rubbish tip which as usual yielded some good birds; Sub-alpine Warbler and bizarre digger wasps being the highlights. We parked by the river and we had not walked far before the beautiful, fluty song of the Black-crowned Tchagra enchanted us. It sat in full view to gasps of delight from all around. Three Mongooses played around in a rowing boat on the far bank. They slunk about like otters. Adjacent to our picnic site lays a bushy area where we found two amazing chameleons, each displaying a different colour, matching the background we found them on. After lunch we moved back to the village of Massa and visited a new concrete bridge spanning the river. Here we found Plain Martins. Bill Oddie describes them as one of the most difficult birds to see in the Western Palaearctic, but one of the most boring when you do! Personally, I rather like their characteristic, fluttery flight. All the marshes were bone dry so we struggled with water birds. One Glossy Ibis flew by but that was it.

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Southern Morocco

Tour Report

We tried a new location where there was some water but found only Pond Terrapins and a Kingfisher. An early return to the hotel was much appreciated by those who wanted to have a sauna and massage or to do some additional shopping.

Day 10

Sunday 27th February

Sunny, bright and warm (24ºC) Most people opted for a bit of a lie-in this morning. We had to leave the hotel by 9.15 to check in at 10am for our 12 pm flight to London. Anyone extra keen could have fitted in an hour of seawatching, but there were no takers on this occasion! Our plane was on time, but brought the depressing news of rain and extremely low temperatures in London. We were all a little sad and subdued as our wonderful drivers; Halim and Alal left us at the airport after a very special experience of their magnificent country and people.

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Tour Report

Southern Morocco

Species Lists Birds

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

(H = heard only;  = commonly recorded)

Common Name Barbary Partridge Common Quail Ruddy Shelduck Mallard Eurasian Teal Marbled Duck Little Grebe Great Crested Grebe White Stork Northern Bald Ibis Glossy Ibis Eurasian Spoonbill Squacco Heron Western Cattle Egret Grey Heron Little Egret Northern Gannet Great Cormorant Moroccan Cormorant Western Osprey Black-winged Kite Black Kite Short-toed Snake Eagle Western Marsh Harrier Northern Goshawk Long-legged Buzzard Golden Eagle Bonelli's Eagle Lesser Kestrel

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June 11

Scientific Name Alectoris barbara Cortunix cortunix Tadorna ferruginea Anas platyrhynchos Anas crecca Marmaronetta angustirostris Tachybaptus ruficollis Podiceps cristatus Ciconia ciconia Geronticus eremita Plegadis falcinellus Platalea leucorodia Ardeola ralloides Bubulcus ibis Ardea cinerea Egretta garzetta Morus bassanus Phalacrocorax carbo Phalacrocorax carbo maroccanus Pandion haliaetus Elanus caeruleus Milvus migrans Circaetus gallicus Circus aeruginosus Accipiter gentilis Buteo rufinus Aquila chrysaetos Aquila fasciata Falco naumanni

18

19

20

21

February 22 23

24

13

3

12

3 2 65

2 8

2

40 4 1 4 6 2 164

25

26

2

1 H

7

5

3 33

60

5 2 3 3

70

1 1 1

60 3 1

20

15 1

3

2

27

5 140

12 42 20 25

162

31

3

1 2

7

4

11 25 6 1 15 1 1

3

1 5 17 5 10

2

7 1

2 1

1

1 1 1

1 3

1

4

1

8 1

2

4 1 2

1

Southern Morocco

30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61

2

Common Name Common Kestrel Peregrine Falcon Barbary Falcon Houbara Bustard Common Moorhen Eurasian Coot Eurasian Stone-Curlew Eurasian Oystercatcher Black-winged Stilt Northern Lapwing Common Ringed Plover Little Ringed Plover Kentish Plover Common Snipe Eurasian Curlew Common Greenshank Green Sandpiper Common Sandpiper Temminck's Stint Cream-colored Courser Black-headed Gull Audouin's Gull Yellow-legged Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Sandwich Tern Common Tern Arctic Skua Black-bellied Sandgrouse Crowned Sandgrouse Rock Dove Feral Pigeon Common Wood Pigeon

Tour Report

Scientific Name Falco tinnunculus Falco peregrinus Falco pelegrinoides Chlamydotis undulata Gallinula chloropus Fulica atra Burhinus oedicnemus Haematopus ostralegus Himantopus himantopus Vanellus vanellus Charadrius hiaticula Charadrius dubius Charadrius alexandrinus Gallinago gallinago Numenius arquata Tringa nebularia Tringa ochropus Actitis hypoleucos Calidris temminckii Cursorius cursor Chroicocephalus ridibundus Ichthyaetus audouinii Larus michahellis Larus fuscus Thalasseus sandvicensis Sterna hirundo Stercorarius parasiticus Pterocles orientalis Pterocles coronatus Columba livia Columba livia 'feral' Columba palumbus

18

19

20

21

2

6

2

2

February 22 23 1

3 2

24

25

26

27

15

8

30

1

1 2 50

6 8

 H

1 14 1 7

3

1

5

3 1 2

2 1

40

6

5

3

4 2 3 1 2 3 2 6

H

3

 1

 

60 10 6  1

78 46   20 1 1

25  

 



 9



200 300  1

5  1



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Southern Morocco

62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92

Common Name Eurasian Collared Dove Laughing Dove Little Owl Red-necked Nightjar Pallid Swift Little Swift Common Kingfisher Eurasian Hoopoe Black-crowned Tchagra Southern Grey Shrike Southern Grey Shrike [algeriensis] Southern Grey Shrike [elegans] North African Magpie Red-billed Chough Brown-necked Raven Northern Raven Coal Tit [atlas] Great Tit African Blue Tit Greater Hoopoe-Lark Thick-billed Lark Bar-tailed Lark Desert Lark Greater Short-toed Lark Lesser Short-toed Lark Crested Lark Maghreb Lark Thekla Lark Woodlark Eurasian Skylark Temminck's Lark Common Bulbul

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Tour Report

Scientific Name Streptopelia decaocto Spilopelia senegalensis Athene noctua Caprimulgus ruficollis Apus pallidus Apus affinis Alcedo atthis Upupa epops Tchagra senegalus Lanius meridionalis Lanius meridionalis algeriensis Lanius meridionalis elegans Pica pica mauritanica Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax Corvus ruficollis Corvus corax Periparus ater atlas Parus major Cyanistes teneriffae ultramarinus Alaemon alaudipes Ramphocoris clotbey Ammomanes cinctura Ammomanes deserti Calandrella brachydactyla Calandrella rufescens Galerida cristata Galerida macrorhyncha Galerida theklae Lullula arborea Alauda arvensis Eremophila bilopha Pycnonotus barbatus

18

19

20

21

1



 3

 2 2

 8

1

H

February 22 23

24

25

26

27

 6

 2



 8 9



50

40

2 4

6

1 1 20 140 2 6 1 6

30 15 2

1

2

1 1

1

10

6

25

1

1

20 1

5 2

100 1

5 9 3 30

6

1 2 6

H 2 5 6 3

6

30 15 20

2

2

3 6 

3 

25

3 1 4 3

12

2

2 1 4

1 2

2

7 2 40

5

17

15

6 2

30

8



3











3

50



3

Southern Morocco

93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124

4

Common Name Brown-throated Martin Sand Martin Barn Swallow Eurasian Crag Martin Red-rumped Swallow Cetti's Warbler Willow Warbler Common Chiffchaff Zitting Cisticola Fulvous Babbler Eurasian Blackcap African Desert Warbler Tristram's Warbler Spectacled Warbler Subalpine Warbler Sardinian Warbler Common Firecrest Eurasian Wren Spotless Starling Common Blackbird European Robin Black Redstart Moussier's Redstart European Stonechat Red-rumped Wheatear Northern Wheatear Black-eared Wheatear Desert Wheatear White-crowned Wheatear Black Wheatear Blue Rock Thrush House Sparrow

Tour Report

Scientific Name Riparia paludicola Riparia riparia Hirundo rustica Ptyonoprogne rupestris Cecropis daurica Cettia cetti Phylloscopus trochilus Phylloscopus collybita Cisticola juncidis Turdoides fulva Sylvia atricapilla Sylvia deserti Sylvia deserticola Sylvia conspicillata Sylvia cantillans Sylvia melanocephala Regulus ignicapilla Troglodytes troglodytes Sturnus unicolor Turdus merula Erithacus rubecula Phoenicurus ochruros Phoenicurus moussieri Saxicola rubicola Oenanthe moesta Oenanthe oenanthe Oenanthe hispanica Oenanthe deserti Oenanthe leucopyga Oenanthe leucura Monticola solitarius Passer domesticus

18

1

19

30 10

20

15 30

21

February 22 23

1 1

20

2

3

H

3

2

4

2 4

6

10 1 5

24

25

26

27

2 40

4 1 120

4

4

2 1

2 H

20 3

16 

40 25

3 H

1

1

1

1 1 5

4 3 

1

55  1

20  1 1 15 2

10

1 2 2 2

3

3

1

 

1 12 8 1

1

1

2

12

6

2

3

1

1

1

7 1

1

20

1

3 12 2

1 2

1 20

1 16

3 1

6 2

3



7 6

6





10 6 2 

1 8 20 5 

47 15 1 

3 2 10 3 

2 



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Southern Morocco

125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144

Common Name Spanish Sparrow Desert Sparrow Yellow Wagtail sp. Spanish Yellow Wagtail Grey Wagtail White Wagtail Moroccan Wagtail Meadow Pipit African Chaffinch European Serin European Greenfinch European Goldfinch Common Linnet Trumpeter Finch Red Crossbill Corn Bunting Rock Bunting Cirl Bunting House Bunting Common Reed Bunting

Tour Report

Scientific Name Passer hispaniolensis Passer simplex Motacilla flava Motacilla flava iberiae Motacilla cinerea Motacilla alba alba Motacilla alba subpersonata Anthus pratensis Fringilla coelebs africana Serinus serinus Carduelis chloris Carduelis carduelis Carduelis cannabina Bucanetes githagineus Loxia curvirostra Emberiza calandra Emberiza cia Emberiza cirlus Emberiza sahari Emberiza schoeniclus

18

19

20

21

February 22 23

24

25

9 3

2

1 2

20 15 2 4

3 4

4 11

17 3

17

18

1

2

2 6 5

1 4 19

160 5

20

1 2

9

1 2 20

1 1

1

9 2

20

1

14 12 5 2

3

60

2 6

1

3

2 2 5

27

5

4 2 5

26

1 12

2 2 15 5 12 6

2

2

H

6

1 10

2

H 4

1

2

3

7 1

Mammals Egyptian Mongoose Common Weasel Barbary Ground Squirrel

Herpestes ichneumon Mustela nivalis Atlantoxerus getulus

Sundevall's Jird Fat Sand Rat Common Gundi

Meriones crassus Psammomys obesus Ctenodactylus gundi

Brimstone Plain Tiger Large Tortoiseshell Painted Lady Wall Brown

Gonepteryx rhamni Danaus chrysippus Nymphalis polychloros Vanessa cardui Lasiommata megera

Butterflies & Moths Scarce Swallowtail Large White Small White Bath White Morocco Orange Tip

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Iphiclides podalirius Pieris brassicae Artogeia rapae Pontia daplidice Anthocharis belia

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Southern Morocco

Clouded Yellow Striped Hawk-Moth A tiger moth (like a clearwing)

Tour Report

Colias croceus Hyles livornica Amata mogadorensis

Humming-bird Hawk-Moth Silver Y

Macroglossum stellatarum Autographa gamma

Dragonflies Emperor Dragonfly

Anax imperator

Lesser Emperor

Anax parthenope

Other taxa Chameleon, Pond Tortoise, Side-striped Terrapin, Tortoise sp. Agama Lizard, various sand/wall lizard sp., Tiger beetle sp., Dung beetle sp.; 7-spot Ladybird, Millipede; Scorpion (Buthus tunetanus).; Toad grasshoppers sp (Trachypetrella sp).; Red Flashwing; Megascolia bidens ( a parasitic wasp that preys on large beetles).

Sample of Plants Species (courtesy of Jennie Grange) Wall Pennywort, Hounds-tongue, Asphodel species, Prickly Juniper, Aleppo Pine, Yellow Dodder sp., Yellow Toadflax sp., Caster Oil Plant, Euphobia sp., Salvia sp., Henbit, Shepherd’s Purse, Black Nightshade, Barbary Nut, Red Pheasant-eye, Crown Daisy, Carob Tree, Argan Tree, Sea Lavender, Walnut tree.

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